White House national security spokesman John Kirby gets expanded role in Biden administration

WASHINGTON — John Kirby, President Joe Biden’s national security spokesman, will have a bigger role in the White House, according to a US official.

Kirby will be given a new title: White House national security communications adviser and will be named assistant to the president, the official said Sunday. The official was not authorized to speak about an appointment that has not been publicly announced and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity. Details of the expanded role were first reported by Reuters.

Kirby came to the White House in 2022 as National Security Council strategic communications coordinator, not long after Karine Jean-Pierre was named White House press secretary following the departure of former press secretary Jen Psaki. Previously, the NSC had no one in such a role.

He will lead a separate team alongside the national security press team that will coordinate information between agencies, the official said.

Kirby is a retired U.S. Navy admiral and is respected within the government for his ability to publicly navigate thorny foreign policy issues with ease. He also served as the top spokesman for the Pentagon and State Department during the Obama administration. Under Biden, Kirby was a fixture in the White House press conference room. His presence at briefings will continue.